1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an index displaying device for a video disk player, to display an index indicating an operation being currently executed by the video disk player.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The video disk player is capable of accessing and reproducing in a comparatively short time a desired frame of image information among tens of thousands of frames of image information recorded in a video disk. To specify and reproduce desired image information by operating a remote controller or the like, the video disk player is provided with a chapter search function.
Referring to FIG. 7 showing an example of a remote controller for selecting the chapter search function, the remote controller is provided with a bar code reader 2 provided on one end of a case 1, and a read command key 3 provided near the bar code reader 2. The read command key 3 is pressed in reading a bar code by the bar code reader 2. An infrared signal transmitter 4, i.e., a remote control signal transmitter, is provided on the other end of the case 1. A transfer key 5 disposed near the infrared emitter 4 is pressed to transmit a command signal read by the bar code reader 2 from the infrared signal transmitter 4. A forward access key 6, a reverse access key 7, a forward step access key 8, a reverse step access key 9, a play key 10 for starting the video disk player, numeric keys 11, a search key 12 and an enter key 13 are arranged in the central portion of the case 1.
FIGS. 8(A), 8(B), 8(C) and 8(D) show indices displayed on the screen of a monitor when the remote controller is operated to actuate the chapter search function. When chapter search is desired in the play mode, the search key 12 is pressed. Then, an index "SEARCH C * 00" as shown in FIG. 8(A) is displayed in the upper portion of the screen of the monitor. If it is desired to reproduce Chapter 2, the numeric key "2" is pressed and the enter key 13 is pressed. Then, the index "SEARCH C * 00" is changed for an index "SEARCH C * 02" as shown in FIG. 8(B) and the video disk player starts making a search for a frame corresponding to Chapter 2. Upon the completion of the search for the frame corresponding to Chapter 2, a still image of a frame as shown in FIG. 8(C) corresponding to Chapter 2 is reproduced and displayed on the monitor and the index disappears. Then, the play key 10 provided on the case 1 is pressed to reproduce the image information of Chapter 2 in the play mode as shown in FIG. 8(D).
While the video disk player is in the searching operation, information corresponding to the pressed key of the remote controller is displayed on the screen to enable the operator to operate the video disk player, confirming the selected task.
The foregoing operation is an example of operating procedures employing an independent key input function to be executed by using the numeric keys 11 and the associated keys. The use of the independent key input function requires somewhat complex operation of the remote controller, which may be a trouble for an unexperienced operator. Accordingly, bar codes are employed in simplifying the operation of the remote controller to improve the accessibility of the remote controller.
To avoid complex operation of the remote controller in using the independent key input function, the accessibility of the remote controller is improved by employing bar codes.
A bar code for selecting, for example, "Chapter 2" is read by the bar code reader 2 with the read command key 3 pressed, and then the transfer key 5 is pressed to transmit a command signal corresponding to the bar code read by the bar code reader 2 by the infrared signal transmitter 4 to the video disk player. Thus, a series of command signals corresponding to the operating procedure employing the independent key input function, namely, search for Chapter 2 and subsequent starting operation in the play mode.
However, even if a series of command signals is transmitted to the video disk player by employing the bar code reading function, the video disk player executes a series of operations for displaying the indices shown in FIGS. 8(A) to 8(D), which is to be executed when the independent key input function is employed.
Particularly, in using the bar code reading function, the operator is required only to select a bar code representing a series of commands from a list of bar codes, and the indication of the indices as shown in FIGS. 8(A) to 8(D) on the screen of the monitor is unnecessary and, rather, an obstacle to the view.